The Rise of Virtual Outplacement
For many years now, HR professionals across the globe have been discussing the future of work, the rise of AI and forecasting talent requirements. In the past 6 months, the future has turned into the present. COVID-19 has forced organisations to adapt their products, working methods and in some cases their workforce. Many employees are working in a blended capacity and unemployment rates globally have soared. Many Governments have offered businesses support by paying proportions of staffing wages or offering loans. Overnight, the world which was once incredibly connected and accessible almost shutdown. Face-to-face meetings went virtual; conferences went virtual; teaching went virtual – the world became reliant on technology and the internet like never before.
We have not beaten the virus yet, but we are at least making progress. Many countries have relaxed their lockdowns and precautions and families and friends are starting to reunite. However, the world we are entering will be different to the one we left. Travel may be less frequent for example, with people opting to join meetings virtually rather than physically. Our services for instance are successfully delivered virtually and we are seeing more organisations opting for virtual outplacement delivery in order to support more staff globally as we start to see increases in layoffs.
Can Outplacement Work Virtually?
Outplacement solutions have evolved over the years in line with the changing needs of employers and employees. Outplacement services were once a physical place to search for jobs and talk to an employment coach. You could go to your outplacement provider to job hunt during working hours. Then came workshops in the place of work, 1:1 coaching programmes and job fairs. Virtual platforms were developed to complement face-to-face offerings giving transitioning employees a safe, reliable online place to gather information and develop their skills. During the pandemic, online employee outplacement solutions were delivered entirely online. Our teams advanced and developed their virtual outplacement programmes to provide effective solutions for their customers.
Face-to-face coaches and virtual coaches require a different skill set. We have outplacement coaches with solid experience of effectively delivering online. The feedback from our customers and clients has been incredible.
There was a distinct lack of trust in the effectiveness of virtual meetings, coaching, training prior Covid-19. People have realised the value of online tools. We have helped thousands of people across the world transition into their next roles using virtual delivery methods. The programmes we have provided has equipped people with the knowledge and tools they need for the new world of work.
Providing a Human Touch with Virtual Services
Career Star Group is all about the human touch. We care about each individual we help. Our global virtual platform is incredibly intuitive and we are developing our on-demand coaching feature to be available globally. So, watch this space!
As more and more people are working in a blended capacity, mixing office working with home working and more flexible hours, we too offer blended solutions and options.
The virtual world we now live and work in will continue to evolve and we will continue to evolve with it to ensure that employees and organisations receive the best outplacement support.